The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-11-25
Ladies' Department.
Health a Duty.

per read by Mrs. Bovee.at monthly
meeting of the department of Hy-
gienc of the W. G. 7, u, Washing
ton, d. G. We see everywhere the
usefulness Of good people curtailed
by physical disability. We see
homes clouded by sickness, and
darkened by premature death; and
these are too often accepted as dis
pensations of Providence, which
must be endured with submission
rather than avoided. We most re-
ligiously teach our children to obey
the moral law, and just as faithfully
neglect to teach the natural law
written in all their members. This,
think, is largely because we do
not recognize health as q duty.
What exact care the mechanist takes
of his enginel How he oils the
wheels to prevent friction, and how
carefully he removes the dust and
dirt that might clog them! He
serves an apprenticeship Of years to
learn just how to keep it in good
running order; and yet how few are
taught, or care to learn, how to take
care of this exquisite piece of me-
chanlsm, the human body, which is
too often left to the mercy of pre-
verted instinct, blind prejudice, or,
worse than all, unbridled passionl
TIE mothers of our day are careful
to provide good teachers for their
daughters, and more girls now than
ever before are sent to schools Of
higher education. Music and dane
ing, too, arc considered indispensa-
bic. The more sensible mothers do
not stop here, but train their daug ht.
ers to become good housekeepers.
But how many mothers have taught
them that health is a duty, or paid
any attention to their physical cnl-'
ture? How many are taught to be
ashamed ola headache or a back
ache, narrow chest or round should
ers, or how to avoid each or all of
these? A recent writer has said that
mother ought to blush for these
defects in her daughter quite as
much or rather more, than she
would if they did not know how to
read or write.
There is no question as to our duty
to make home happy. Volumes have
been written as to woman's duty in
the home. There is wide difference
Of opinion as to her duties in other
spheres, but here, at least, all are
agreed. She is to be the central sun,
the bright particular star. from
which shall radiate all the genial and
loving influences of the home. Let
us make an inventory of the duties
OF the wife and MOTHER mean the
generally accepted duties, which no
one questions, and which the hush
and is sure to expect. Size must be
loving and cheerful. patient and
sweet-tempered, sympathizing and
nnselfish. This is the ideal which
every young man has in bis mind
when seeking wife, and all these
qualities depend largely upon health.
I DO not mean to imply that these
beautiful traits are sure to follow in
the train of health. / know that the
grace OF God is needed for their per-
1ect development; but do say, and
reverently, that even God is hinder
ed in his workings in a diseased body
for morbid conditions of the physi-
cal being brings correspondingly
morbid states of the mental and
spiritual life. Some of US, at least
know how hard 1T is to be loving and
cheerful while suffering from a sick
headache, or to be patient and sweet
tempered, with even an ordinary
hackache. You all know we gener-
ally excuse an exhibition of unlove-
~ trait of character in our friends
by saying "They do not feel very
well to day." and when our sick ones
are peevish and irritable, we take it
IS matter of course. How many
tired and overburdened mother has
sent her husband to his store or Office
n r..